The Other Paper - 11-23-22

Plant rediscovered on Mansfield after 100 years

Page 18

All-state Soccer coaches pick players for top honors

Page 19

the South Burlington’s Community Newspaper Since 1977

City gets brand new dog park

Farrell Park still a ruff patch

COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

What a glorious day it was, Nov. 4, for South Burlington’s dogs, who had 1.5 acres of free rein to run and romp at the Wheeler Dog Park.

The day marked the end of the “long odyssey” of delays and setbacks for an anxiously awaited, years-in-the-making destination park for the city’s hundreds of dogs. Approved by the development review board late last year, the final design featured a 2-acre park on the Wheeler property off Dorset Street that was later reduced to 1.5 acres in the fall.

“All the work that so many people put in to making that happen, and all the staff, it’s just wonderful to see dogs running free,” said Matt Cota, South Burlington council member and the liaison to the committee on common areas for dogs. “For those people — and there are many of you, including myself — who don’t have a yard, this is

See DOG PARK on page 20

Public voices concern over hiring process School District appoints Nichols superintendent

June 30, 2025.

the district’s equity committees.

Violet Nichols has been named permanent superintendent of schools for the South Burlington School District.

The school board made the announcement at its Nov. 16 meeting that Nichols, who had been interim superintendent for the past five months, would assume the district’s top job.

Her contract will run through

Nichols, a Shelburne resident and native Vermonter, officially joined the district in 2021, moving from Addison Northwest School District, where she was director of learning and technology.

Before becoming interim superintendent, Nichols served as the South Burlington School District’s recovery coordinator — navigating and allocating the pandemic relief funds. She also held the role of director of learning and managing

She became interim superintendent when David Young resigned in February after nearly a decade in that position.

Before resigning from the school board in August, Michelle Boyer spearheaded the superintendent search process, which kicked off soon after Town Meeting Day. The board voted to hire an interim replacement for the school year while a search for a long-term superintendent was conducted.

A 15-member search committee reviewed applications, including that of Lisa Cala Ruud, a school

administrator from New York, who was initially voted to take over as interim superintendent in June.

Three days after the vote, Ruud declined the board’s offer, citing concerns about the search and hiring process.

“My concern in accepting an appointment at this time is that I will have entered a space where the cards are already stacked against me because of the process by which I was selected,” Ruud wrote in an email to the board on June 19.

Nichols’ appointment as inter-

See NICHOLS on page 23

LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER

PHOTO BY COREY MCDONALD

People and their pets enjoy the newly opened Wheeler Dog Park on Nov. 19.

SoBu artists bring form to function with utility box art

When Katie O’Brien-Barritt started painting utility boxes in South Burlington five years ago, she had no idea how successful the project would become.

She had been an art teacher for 31 years and, at first, the idea was to channel her passion while finding a way to make the city she called home more vibrant

“It’s a really great place, but there’s nothing artsy in it,” she recalled. “There wasn’t anything that interesting to look at. But when you drive down the street and see all those boxes, well, those can be canvasses. If we could get something going and get the whole community going, it could be very charming.”

Alex Peck was working in maintenance at the Best Western hotel on Williston Road when he saw a couple people painting a nearby utility box. After speaking with the enthusiastic team, he soon joined the effort.

According to Peck, the painted boxes brightened a lot of corners of South Burlington and drew in more participants along the way, including Jacqueline Drouin, who jumped at the opportunity to help with the project.

“Normally art is kept in museums but bringing it into the public space provides unexpected beauty in places where it wasn’t originally there,” said Drouin, who lives in Burlington with her two children.

— Jacqueline

O’Brien-Barritt and her daughter, Ali Barritt, noticed a utility box streaked with graffiti on Kennedy Drive one day and decided to act. She approached former deputy city manager and treasurer Tom Hubbard and was approved to repaint the box. The mother and daughter enjoyed it so much they decided to enlist the help of the community.

What began as one painted utility box has since grown to almost 100 across South Burlington. The movement, now a city approved venture, has drawn almost a dozen artists — many of whom came aboard in much the same way as O’Brien-Barritt.

“I just think it makes our public spaces more beautiful and shows engagement by the people that live there. It’s wonderful.”

Ilona Blanchard, South Burlington’s special projects director, believes displays like the painted boxes are important because they can hold “two opposite ideas in the same place” — you wouldn’t think a drab utility box could be a canvas for colorful art.

The project is open to anyone willing to submit a colorful, positive design for approval. The artists are then assigned a box and provided with supplies.

To find the painted boxes, visit the South Burlington website to find a map of the city marking the location of every painted box, the finished pieces and their creators.

PHOTOS BY IVY KIRBY

Interested in painting a utility box? Just submit a color design for approval to the city.

“I just think it makes our public spaces more beautiful and shows engagement by the people that live there. It’s wonderfaul.”

Drouin

Grocery store chain’s reusable shopping bag campaign exceeds $2 million in donations

The Hannaford Helps Reusable Bag Program has generated more than $2 million in donations to community organizations throughout New England and New York, the grocery store chain announced.

For each special fight hunger and community reusable shopping bags shoppers buy, the company donates $1 to a local hunger relief agency or non-profit organization in the store’s community.

Since its inception in 2014, more than 2.7 million reusable bags benefitting more than 5,600 nonprofit organizations have been sold, replacing the need for more than 82 million single-use plastic bags. Additionally, nearly 9.4 million meals have been provided through the purchase of the bags.

Among the beneficiaries of the program is Age Well, advocates for the aging population of northwestern Vermont. For nearly 50 years, Age Well has provided Vermont residents with the support to manage daily living needs, with the goal of keeping them active, healthy and independent. The reusable bag program supports Age Well’s Meals on Wheels program.

“Hannaford’s support comes

H. Allan Marlow

H. Allan Marlow, 93, of Shelburne, died peacefully on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022, at University of Vermont Medical Center.

Al was born on Feb. 28, 1929, in Ogdensburg, N.Y., the son of George and Beatrice Marlow.

Al leaves behind his wife, Jackie, of 69 years; beloved daughter, Michele and her husband, James O’Brien MD of Williamsburg, Va.; his cherished grandchildren, Jason O’Brien of Boston, Tess O’Brien of Waterbury and Jackie O’Brien of San Diego, Calif.

He is also survived by three sisters, Anna Jean MacDougall, Eleanor Stevenson and Mary Rose McCaffrey and husband, Tom, all of Ogdensburg, N.Y.; sister-inlaw, Joan Macura of Granville, N.Y.; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Throughout Al’s life he touched and inspired the lives of many. Al began his naval career at the age of 17 serving on the USS Dayton. Following his service years, he earned degrees from Albany Business School and Russell Sage College.

Al was a proud employee of Mobil Oil company for over 40 years.

Always lending a helping hand volunteering where needed, many

at a time when we are facing unprecedented numbers of aging Vermonters needing meal deliveries and the support that accompanies Meals on Wheels,” said Tracey Shamberger, Age Well director of business development and communications. “For many

older Vermonters, their Meals on Wheels volunteer may be the only person that they see on any given day. This connection combats social isolation and adds a layer of safety, but more importantly it reminds those we serve that they are not forgotten.

Hickok

& Boardman picked as outstanding business of 2022

Hickok & Boardman Insurance Group won the 2022 Outstanding Business of the Year Award from the Vermont Chamber of Commerce and Vermont Business magazine.

The company will accept the award at the Vermont Economic Conference on Monday, Jan. 30, at the University of Vermont Dudley H. Davis Center.

The award is presented annually to the Vermont business that demonstrates commitment to community, workforce well-being, environmental stewardship and growth in sales or employment.

Hickok & Boardman is a lead-

ing broker in Vermont for business and personal property and casualty insurance. Their mission of developing long-term relationships with clients, employees and communities has served them well for over two centuries as their business has grown and their client services have expanded.

“Hickok & Boardman has been a keystone of the Vermont economy since 1821,” said Vermont Chamber of Commerce president Betsy Bishop. “Their record of dedication to Vermont as a service provider, employer and community leader sets a high bar for doing business in Vermont.”

An athlete and sports fan all his life, he enjoyed attending UVM hockey games, golfing, skiing and playing tennis. In his later years he became the biggest supporter of all his grandchildren’s various endeavors.

A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at St. Catherine of Siena Church in Shelburne Vermont at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19. Al will be laid to rest immediately following in The Shelburne Village Cemetery.

will remember him as an usher at St. Catherine of Siena Church and greeting visitors at The Residence at Shelburne Bay. Those who knew him will remember his warm smile, and his energetic and optimistic demeanor.

Please join his family in the parish hall where memories and expressions of sympathy will be shared with family and friends. Donations in Al’s memory may be made to the charity of one’s choice. Funeral arrangements are in the care of Stephen C. Gregory and Sons Cremation Services.

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H. Allan Marlow

Agency/public assists: 29

Traffic stop: 28

Larceny from motor vehicle: 14

Suspicious event: 10

Alarm: 18

Motor vehicle complaint: 7

Retail theft: 9

Welfare check: 9

Accident: property damage: 7

Disturbance: 6

Total incidents: 228

Arrests:

Aug. 3 at 6:41 a.m., Michael K. Odell, 47, of South Burlington, was arrested for domestic assault.

Oct. 25 at 12 p.m., Jazmine J. Jarvis, 32, of Milton, was arrested for misdemeanor retail

South Burlington Police Blotter

theft.

Oct. 26 at 3:49 p.m., Matias Matthew Frias, 53, of South Burlington, was arrested for simple assault.

Nov. 17 at 7:40 p.m., Mandy L. Bushey, 36, of Burlington, was arrested for driving with a criminally suspended license.

Nov. 18 at 2:28 a.m., Rose I. Kaufmann, 23, of Warren, was arrested for driving under the influence, criminal refusal.

Nov. 19 at 2:29 a.m., Daniel Anthony, 34, of Colchester, was arrested for driving under the influence, criminal refusal.

Top incidents: Nov. 13 at 7:59 a.m., a larceny

from a vehicle was reported from Farrell Street.

Nov. 13 at 9:38 a.m., another larceny from a vehicle, this time from Hawthorne Circle

Nov. 13 at 12:24 p.m., police are investigating a domestic dispute on Kennedy Drive.

Nov. 13 at 8:26 p.m., injuries were reported from an accident on Hinesburg Road.

Nov. 14 at 9:46 a.m., a report of unlawful mischief on Dorset Street is pending.

Nov. 14 at 11:13 a.m., police checked on the welfare of someone on Hinesburg Road.

Nov. 14 at 4:10 p.m., another juvenile was causing a problem on Dorset Street. The matter is

Parking ban

December 1 - April 1 — Midnight to 8am

The ban is in effect, regardless of weather conditions. Tickets and/or a tow could result from failure to comply. To help our drivers, please remove all obstacles from streets, including portable basketball hoops. Thank you!

pending.

Nov. 14 at 9:34 p.m., a larceny from a vehicle on Olde Orchard Park.

Nov. 15 at 2:20 p.m., a report of trespassing is pending from Williston Road.

Nov. 15 at 4 p.m., police were called to a disturbance on Dorset Street.

Nov. 15 at 4:22 p.m., someone took something from a structure on Market Street, police report.

Nov. 16 at 9:57 a.m., a larceny from a vehicle came in from Tanglewood Drive.

Nov. 16 at 4:29 p.m., police performed a welfare check on Williston Road.

Nov. 16 at 7:06 p.m., police looked into a report of stalking on Dorset Street.

Nov. 17 at 9:07 a.m., police responded to an overdose reported on Lime Kiln Bridge Road.

Nov. 17 at 3:34 p.m., a report of threats emanating from Grandview Drive.

Nov. 17 at 3:50 p.m., an accident at the intersection of Allen and Shelburne roads resulted in property damage.

Nov. 17 at 8:42 p.m., a report of

domestic violence on Allen Road is still under investigation.

Nov. 17 at 10:01 p.m., a vehicle was stolen on Williston Road.

Nov. 17 at 11:10 p.m., another domestic call, this time from Dorset Street. The incident is pending.

Nov. 18 at 12:37 a.m., someone overdosed on Shelburne Road.

Nov. 18 at 12:48 a.m., someone was making too much ruckus on Market Street, violating the city’s noise ordinance.

Nov. 18 8:11 a.m., a retail theft was reported on Dorset Street.

Nov. 18 at 3:47 p.m., police are investigating a report of fraud on Market Street.

Nov. 18 at 7:14 p.m., on Shelburne Road, a juvenile was reportedly causing a problem.

Nov. 19 at 1:10 a.m., a vehicle was reported stolen on Williston Road. The case is pending.

Nov. 19 at 5:33 p.m., police found property on Market Street.

Nov. 19 at 5: 49 p.m., someone was reportedly trespassing at an address on Dorset Street.

Nov. 19 at 11:39 p.m., police took a report of intoxication on Dorset Street.

South Burlington’s Community Newspaper Since 1977 A publication of Vermont Community Newspaper Group LLC otherpapersbvt.com

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Contact: 1340 Williston Road South Burlington, VT 05403 (802) 864-6670

Community weighs in on school district at forums

From the School Board

People often ask me what the school board actually does. One responsibility is to create a vision for the district. How does the board develop a vision?

The board develops a vision for the district by engaging the community in structured and ongoing dialog. The vision is developed with community input, the board monitors how the vision is implemented and finally the board makes policy and budget decisions to support the vision. Another critical aspect of school board responsibilities is the partnership between the school board and the superintendent. It is the responsibility of the board to appoint a superintendent, provide a clear vision for the superinten-

dent and for the superintendent to deliver on the priorities of the vision.” (See bit.ly/3Xh1KGO)

To fulfill our responsibility of engaging the community, we held four community forums, both in-person and on Zoom in October and early November. I have presented the points made by community members in response to our four questions in bullet form.

What is going well in the South Burlington School District?

• The roles of support staff at Orchard Elementary are becoming more defined.

• We have a wonderfully diverse community.

• Dedicated teachers and staff.

• Lunch provided to children under the age of 18 during the summer.

What are some challenges facing the district?

• Staff and students need to feel heard and supported as we

recover from the pandemic.

• Overcrowding and aging buildings affect the learning environment.

• Access to administration and board members should be easier.

• We need to grow support for public education via civics classes and engagement from taxpayers even without students in schools. What are the hopes and dreams for the South Burlington School District?

• An aspirational vision that brings us forward and maybe creates a new system where all can thrive.

• Professional development that inspires teachers, staff and students.

• Staff feels empowered and proud of what they are doing.

• Students are excited to go to school.

• The district develops a positive vision sooner rather than later. What skills and abilities could help a superintendent, as CEO? We need a superintendent who:

• has aspirational goals for the

future as the old model may or may not be working anymore.

• inspires all staff and students to feel proud of their work and happy to be in school.

• will work directly with our staff and “get their hands dirty.”

The community forums show that this community consists of kind and caring members who want to help and support our schools. When asked how community members could help, we suggest that everyone vote for the school budget on Town Meeting Day in March.

A caring, compassionate community such as South Burlington depends on an excellent school system as it is a public school that prepares the next generation to serve in the community and enables all children to reach their full potential so that democracy and the community continue to thrive.

When schools help all students achieve their full potential, we all win. Regardless of whether you have a child in school, education matters. In addition to voting on

Town Meeting Day, we encourage everyone to attend the community forums that we’ll have in the future.

Last, the public is always welcome to attend school board meetings either in person or virtually.

In closing, it’s true that schools face ongoing pandemic challenges and let’s not forget that the school year began in the shadow of the horrific shooting last spring in Uvalde, Texas, at Robb Elementary School where so many children and teachers died.

Despite it all, our staff works tirelessly for the children of South Burlington. I encourage the community to show support for its schools, staff and children by voicing support for the budget on Town Meeting Day and offering positive and constructive feedback to the district in its community forums. We are all in this together.

Laura Williams is a member of the South Burlington School Board.

Laura Williams South Burlington School Board Member

Laura Williams

Years ago, I found a YouTube video where Stephen King espoused 10 pieces of advice to the University of Maine’s graduating class of 2005. The closing piece of this advice was simple: stay in Maine.

I admire this fervent defense of one’s homeland. As a kid, my eyes were always set elsewhere, over these Green Mountains. Maybe I’d visit Los Angeles and bask in the warmth and the city’s hubbub. Maybe I’d live in another country. “The Truman Show” convinced me Fiji was worth the 20-hour flight.

Around the time I graduated college, I had to admit something to myself. I love this little state. I have for a long time.

When I was a kid, I would

Violent crime has exploded in Burlington since the progressives defunded the police and told them that they could no longer stop vagrancy in 2020. Most people I know will no longer go downtown.

Sadly, neither the Progressives nor the mayor will take responsibility for their mess and keep blaming others as the situation worsens. They claim that gun control will fix the problem, but the facts show otherwise.

Studies using FBI data show that there is no correspondence between stricter gun laws and lower crime. States with the weak-

pop into the Borders in downtown Burlington, where CVS now stands and I’d sit in a big, comfortable chair and read whatever book I had on my person while smelling roasted coffee beans from the café inside. I’d do that while waiting for the CCTA bus that would take me from Cherry Street to the South End, where I’d pass all assortments of sculptures and street art — particularly if Art Hop was approaching.

When I grew up and took that winding road down Politics Ave, I found myself appreciating Vermont’s confident progressivism and its tendency to split tickets. My dad loved Jim Douglas and I have more than an inkling that he’s fond of Phil Scott, even while he helps send Bernie to the Senate.

About a year ago, I stared a harsh truth in the face: it is not easy to stay in Vermont.

The state has bled young

people for as long as I can remember. That’s nothing new, but I didn’t fully appreciate the gravity of that migration until I myself was on the move.

Skyrocketing rent, stagnant wages, few long-term career opportunities, landlords’ ironclad grip on the renting market, housing prices that cost about two livers and half a kidney to afford (and that’s just the down payment) and a big old pit sitting in the center of the city, like a pimple that was dug out of a pockmarked face with a rusty tack.

And let’s not forget a state college system that is chronically underfunded and underappreciated, or how Burlington’s mayor loves to tout his Habitat for Humanity credentials while pursuing plans to add yet another luxury hotel to the map instead of affordable housing.

est gun laws, like Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, have the lowest violent crime, while states with the strongest laws, like New York, Illinois and Maryland, have the highest violent crime.

It is also shown that gun ownership does not lead to more crime. Canada has a higher rate of gun ownership than the U.S., but lower violent crime. Nearly every home in Switzerland and Israel has a military rifle in it, but they have far lower crime rates than the U.S.

So, what does contribute to crime? Why does the Bronx have a higher crime rate than a small town in New Hampshire if its gun laws are stricter?

The answers are obvious.

According to the FBI, the variables

affecting crime are:

• Population density and degree of urbanization.

• Variations in composition of the population, particularly youth concentration.

• Stability of the population with respect to residents’ mobility, commuting patterns and transient factors.

• Modes of transportation and highway system.

• Economic conditions, including median income, poverty level and job availability.

• Cultural factors and educational, recreational and religious characteristics.

• Family conditions with respect to divorce and family cohesiveness.

• Climate.

• Effective strength of law enforcement agencies.

• Administrative and investigative emphases of law enforcement.

• Policies of other components of the criminal justice system, for example, prosecutorial, judicial, correctional and probational factors.

• Citizens’ attitudes toward crime.

• Crime reporting practices of the citizenry.

Bingo! Notice how gun control and gun ownership are not on the list, yet “effective strength of law enforcement agencies,” “stability of the population with respect to residents’ mobility, commuting patterns, and transient factors” and “policies of other components of the criminal justice system (i.e., prosecutorial, judicial, correctional and probational)” are on the list.

LAFOUNTAINE

continued from page 6

These are not new observations, nor are they are not unique ones. These are issues that have dogged our small state for decades. They are issues I’ve heard grumbled about at the dinner table. They’re issues I’ve groused about with friends. They almost feel like a rite of passage to becoming a Vermonter — to complain about taxes, or to complain about this landlord or that piece of news.

It’s a noxious brew — one I drank greedily, particularly as my rent rose and my paycheck stagnated.

Before moving, we considered buying a house — hence how I came to my astute kidney and liver equation. Yet, even as I got a new job with a beefier salary, I realized our housing costs, coupled with other cost-of-living expenses, made it so that we would always be just above water but never ascendent enough to plan our wedding, or to afford a house, or to grow a family.

We started to look elsewhere and, last week, we made a trek across the country to a new city.

That move was painful for me. My horror-writer mind conjured an image, the morning we left, of me crawling up those Green Mountains, burying a knife in my chest, pulling my steaming heart free and burying it up there, in the dirt, in the trees. I can see the dark blood and the wet soil under my fingernails. I feel the emptiness in

ORLANDO

continued from page 6

These are precisely the causes that the progressives have undermined in Burlington.

Defund the police was a panic response that never made sense. It is akin to saying that because a schoolteacher killed a violent student in Minnesota, we should defund the Burlington schools. Plus, how is overfunding the cause of police violence? Wouldn’t defunding the police lead to more crime? In fact, most Blacks are against defunding the police for the same reason that everyone else is: They don’t want to be victims of crime either, yet they have paid the price for it.

Guns are the only tool where the tool itself is blamed for the actions of its user. We don’t blame the knife for a stabbing, and nobody blamed the car for the six innocent people murdered by the driver in Waukesha.

my chest.

All I ever wanted to do was stay in Vermont. Even now, I write stories about our state. The Northeast Kingdom makes frequent appearances, my personal Castle Rock, where ragged strangers come to town, hiding their brimstone odors with headache-inducing aftershave or perfume; where crimson-eyed bears linger outside ramshackle diners; where winter threatens to blacken appendages; where monstrous spiders wait, mandibles dripping, legs writhing.

It is not easy to stay in Vermont.

As we moved out of our apartment, I learned that my landlords bumped the price of our old apartment up another $100. Then, they sold it seemingly without issue. Because in Vermont, when an apartment goes on the market, you have about 24 hours to get an application in before it’s going, going, gone.

I don’t know whether we will stay in this new city, or if we will travel around. Remote work has changed the landscape in that regard. I desperately want Vermont to address these gangrenous issues because deep down, I want to be able to feasibly give the following advice. To myself and to others: stay in Vermont.

Keith LaFountaine, a horror writer, grew up in Burlington.

If I am shot, I want the person who shot me to go to jail, not the gun. Yet this simple logic is beyond the Progressives.

The facts from resources like the FBI demonstrate exactly what everyone in Vermont knows about the reason Burlington turned into a war zone in 2020. Anyone who has walked by City Hall Park knows, yet the city’s leadership refuses to take responsibility for the mess. They play the violin while Burlington burns, refusing to even look out their back window at the park.

Only when real leadership comes to Burlington will the city return to being a place where people want to live and visit.

John Orlando taught ethics and philosophy at several Vermont colleges, including St. Michael’s, University of Vermont and Champlain College. He lives in Williston.

It’s back! South Burlington Rotary’s ugly sweater run

From dancing snowmen to dangling jingle bells, those once-fashionable-now-outrageous sweaters are about to make a comeback.

The Rotary Club of South Burlington Ugly Sweater Fun Run is back on Sunday, Dec. 11.

“Not on the RUNway, but in a FUN way!”, the club’s sixth annual Ugly Sweater Fun Run & Walk, will be held at Fredrick H. Tuttle Middle School in South

Natural history hike at Red Rocks Park

Take a tour with a Petra Cliffs nature educator on Sunday, Dec. 4, from 10 a.m. to noon at Red Rocks Park in South Burlington.

With wolf trees, glacial erratics, well-trod hiking trails and fernfilled cliffsides, Red Rocks Park

Burlington. The event is scheduled from 10 a.m.- 1 p.m.

Beneficiaries of this annual fundraising event are the Rotary Club of South Burlington’s local charity initiatives, in partnership with the South Burlington Academic Boosters Fund.

Academic boosters support both students and teachers who seek to engage in extended learning opportunities.

So come out for a day of fun

Community Notes

is a stellar example of the geology and ecology in South Burlington. This program features the natural history of the area as well as how to identify trees in winter without the aid of the leaves using bark, twigs and growth form. Register at shorturl.at/erMX2 and get the Petra Cliffs waiver at shorturl.at/cqwOW

and exercise while proudly wearing your tackiest, craziest and ugliest sweaters. Participants enjoy complimentary food and beverages, a snapshot from the photo booth and a commemorative winter hat. As always, prizes will be awarded to the ugliest sweaters.

Entrance fees are $35 for adults, $15 for kids 12-17, and free for those under 12.

To register, visit southburlingtonrotary.org.

Marines come together in Chittenden County

Join the Donald G. Cook Detachment on Thursday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m. for a meeting of active duty, retired and guard of the U.S. Marine Corps.

COURTESY PHOTO

Yankee storyteller Willem Lange is back, live and on stage at Lost Nation Theater performing his reading of “A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story” by Charles Dickens on Friday, Dec. 16, 7 p.m., Montpelier City Hall Arts Center. Lange uses the cutting of the novel Dickens himself used when performing the tale. Emmy-winner Lange’s tradition of reading Dickens’ “Christmas Carol” began in 1975, and always performs to benefit The Haven in the Upper Valley. Tickets and masking requirements at lostnationtheater.org.

‘A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story’

Milestones

Hughes, Thompson marry

Cally Shane Hughes and Dylan Connor Thompson were married on Nov. 5 at 3 p.m. at the base of Lincoln Peak in Warren.

The ceremony was held outside on a spectacular late fall day, and witnessed by joyous family members and friends, with cocktails and a dinner reception at Sugarbush Resort’s Gatehouse.

The couple lives in Moretown.

The bride attended St. Joseph’s in Maine where she received a bachelor’s degree in nursing. She received her master’s degree at

Simmons University in Boston and works as a family nurse practitioner with Green Mountain Family Practice in Northfield.

She is the daughter of Richard and Kathy Hughes of Johnson.

The groom attended Vermont Technical College and received a bachelor’s degree in construction management. He is construction project manager with PC Construction in South Burlington.

He is the son of Mark and Tammy Thompson of Waterbury Center.

The groom’s brother, Michael Hughes, was the officiant.

Check Locally First

COURTESY PHOTO

This is an opportunity to meet other Marines in the Greater Burlington area, share information and learn about the programs offered at the Marine Corps League.

Champlain Valley Union hosts handcrafters’ fair

The Champlain Valley Union High School in Hinesburg will host its handcrafters fair on Saturday, Nov. 26, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at 369 CVU Road in Hinesburg.

The fair features 150 vendors with something special for everyone on your shopping list.

Local Scouts benefit from sales Dec. 1

South Burlington Scout Troop 611 in South Burlington will receive 20 percent of all sales at Panera on Shelburne Road on Thursday, Dec. 1, 4-8 p.m.

Just use the code fund4u at the checkout or at the kiosk in-cafe.

St. Jude’s Catholic Church seeks crafters

St. Jude’s Catholic Church in Hinesburg will be having a craft fair on Saturday, Dec. 3, from 9

a.m. to 3 p.m.

The church is looking for crafters. If you are a crafter and are interested in purchasing a space at this craft fair, contact Marie at stjude@vermontcatholic.org and an application form and info will be sent to you.

Seventy-five percent of items sold must be handmade.

Waldorf school hosts artisan market and fair

The Lake Champlain Waldorf School will host a Friday adult shopping experience on Friday, Dec. 2 from 6 to 9 p.m.

On Saturday, Dec. 3, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., there will be an outdoor festival with lots of activities for children and a family fair and market.

Visit shorturl.at/dyLM9 for further information.

St. Mike’s hosts Sing We Now Noel

Sing We Now Noel, a celebration of Christmas carols and seasonal songs, will take place on Sunday, Dec. 18, at 2 p.m. in Saint Michael’s College Chapel.

William Tortolano, emeritus

professor and college organist, will present the 62nd holiday concert with the classic two-manual, 14-stop Casavant pipe organ in the chapel. The program will cover a variety of musical compo-

sitions to encourage the audience to participate.

Among the compositions are carols from Austria, England, France, Portugal and American traditions, including “The Little

Drummer Boy,” “Go Tell It On the Mountain,” “Vermont’s Carol” and “We Three Kings.”

Jerry Proulx, a St. Michael’s graduate, will sing the famous Italian carol “Tu Scendi Dalle Stelle.”

Superheros. That’s what our dedicated care team at Mansfield Place is made of. Enriching the lives of our residents with open communication and kind consideration while accommodating changing and varied needs.

Locally owned and operated. We strive to consistently maintain the highest level of care and safety for our residents and staff. Mansfield Place takes great pride in our Vermont community and the families we serve. Call

William Tortolano

South Burlington Public Library December Events

180 Market St.,

southburlingtonlibrary.org

For information about any programming, cancellations or in-person changes, call 802-8464140 or email southburlingtonlibrary.org.

Some events may change from in-person to virtual. Some events require preregistration. Masks are encouraged. Hours: Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; and Saturday 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

KIDS & TEENS

Babytime

Wednesdays, Nov. 30 and Dec. 7 and 14, 10:30-11 a.m.

Join Miss Kelly and her puppets Bainbow and Lala for a gentle, slow storytime that features songs, rhymes and lap play.

Lego builders

Wednesdays, Nov. 30, Dec. 14, 21 and 28, 3-4:30 p.m.

Projects geared to kids ages eight and up, or ages six and up with an adult helper. Each week, builders explore, create and participate in challenges.

Music and movement

Thursday, Dec. 1, 10:30-11:15 a.m.

Join Miss Emma as she leads singing, movement and jam sessions for kids from birth to age 5.

Toddlertime

Tuesdays, Dec. 6 and 13, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Join Miss Alyssa for storytimes geared to ages 1 to 3 with an adult caregiver.

ADULTS

Chess club

Every Saturday through Dec. 17, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Join the Chittenden County Chess Club for a game or just to watch. New members, all ages welcome.

English conversation circle

Monday, Nov. 28, noon-1 p.m.

English as a Second Language discussion group, facilitated by an experienced instructor Louis Giancola.

Cookbook club

Tuesday, Dec. 6, 5:30-7 p.m. The December cookbook is “Falastin,” the story of Palestine’s food and its people, by Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley. Choose a recipe to prepare, get a free photocopy and sign up to share your cooking with the rest of the group. Sign up at the library or online.

Italian book club

Monday, Nov. 28, 10:15-11:15 a.m.

“Fino al quando la mia stella brillerà,” by Liliana Segre with Daniela Palumbo.

Poetry group

Tuesdays, Nov. 29, Dec. 13 and 27, 11 a.m.-noon Come share your poetry in a supportive, comfortable setting.

Great decisions:

Biden’s agenda

Thursday, Dec. 1, 5:30-7 p.m. Moderated by Bernie Carver, the discussion invites participants to explore important global issues. Read the article for the month in the briefing book. In-person and virtual.

Tech help

Fridays, Dec. 2 and 16, 10 a.m.-noon

Join the experts every other Friday morning in the digital lab for 1:1 assistance and to learn new skills. Register, space is limited.

Board game brunch

Saturday, Dec. 10, 10 a.m.-1:45 p.m.

Join Friendly Tabletop Gamers of Essex and Beyond in the digital lab and play some awesome games while meeting new people. This event is best suited for teens and adults over 18.

Tech help

Tech help in other languages

Tuesdays, Dec. 13 and 27,

We’re Ready To Help With All Your Fall and Winter Projects!

We take pride in our customer service with timely responses, clear communication, and great service, all at a fair rate. Whatever you need done, we have the experience and know-how to cross it off your list.

Please

4-5 p.m.

Tech assistance is now offered in French, Swahili and Lingala. Virtual group.

Board game brunch

Saturday, Dec. 10, 10 a.m.-1:45 p.m.

Join Friendly Tabletop Gamers of Essex and Beyond in the digital lab and play some awesome games while meeting new people. This event is best suited for teens and adults over 18.

Tech help

Tech help in other languages

Tuesdays, Dec. 13 and 27, 4-5 p.m.

Tech assistance is now offered in French, Swahili and Lingala. Virtual group.

Illuminate Vermont

Artisan Fair

Friday and Saturday, Dec. 16-17, 4-7 p.m. Enjoy a magical evening in the heart of South Burlington’s downtown as the community shines bright with the power of artistic expression and celebration. See the winter lights on Market Street. Stroll through the open-air market and find unique handmade products. Local artisan food and drinks, live music.

Puzzle swap

Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2:30-5 p.m. Bring a puzzle you’ve already completed and leave with a new puzzle to put together. Bring any 250-plus-piece general adult puzzle(s) that you would like to trade during the event.

When giving thanks, celebrate with local foods

early while supplies last.

Thanksgiving is a time for families to get together and eat! Much of the food traditionally consumed on this holiday originated in the Americas. And today, a lot of it is available from local farms, so you can support Vermont’s agriculture while eating tasty products that you know will be grown with integrity.

Turkey is widely associated with Thanksgiving. Turkey was domesticated by the Aztecs in Mexico and brought to Europe by the Spanish and English. More than 200 million turkeys are produced in the U.S. each year on 2,500 farms. In Vermont, the most recent census of agriculture reported 121 farms producing turkeys. Only two of those sold more than 2,000 birds, so if you want a local turkey, try to buy one

Sweet potatoes are native to South America. The sweet potato has a tuberous root with skin and flesh colors that can be yellow, orange, red, brown or purple, depending on the variety. Those with dark orange flesh are high in beta-carotene, which our bodies convert to vitamin A.

Sweet potatoes also contain vitamins C and B6 along with potassium, calcium and quite a bit of fiber. The U.S. grows about 150,000 acres of sweet potatoes, the majority in North Carolina. Several dozen farms in Vermont grow sweet potatoes, and they store well, so local tubers are available this time of year.

Potatoes also originated in South America. Globally, they are the fourth most important food crop for people, after corn, rice

DR. VERN GRUBINGER UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT EXTENSION

PHOTOS BY VERN GRUBINGER

Above: Freshly harvested apples at Scott Farm Orchard in Dummerston are ready to be pressed into apple cider, a perfect accompaniment for a holiday dinner.

Below: Acorn and delicata squash are just two of many flavorful options for a Thanksgiving meal.

Drive safe, buckle up during Thanksgiving travel season

During the Thanksgiving holiday travel period millions of people will hit the nation’s roads, eager to spend time with family and friends. It’s one of the busiest travel times of the year and unfortunately more people on the roadways means an increased likelihood of motor vehicle crashes.

Vermont has been an alarming number of serious injuries and fatal motor vehicle crashes since January, according to Lt. Allen Fortin, the highway safety coordinator for Chittenden, Franklin, Grand Isle and Lamoille counties. So far, 2022 is poised to be one of the deadliest in recent years. The unbelted rate for fatal crashes in Vermont is the highest in eight years at 70 percent.

“This is just unbelievable,” Fortin

LOCAL FOODS

continued from page 12

and wheat. Potato tubers are not part of the root but rather a swollen underground stem.

Potatoes are a good source of vitamin C and potassium. One medium baked potato contains only 110 calories — without butter or sour cream. There are blue, red, yellow, white and russet varieties.

Over 900,000 acres of potatoes are grown in the U.S., more than half of them in Idaho and Washington. About 200 farms grow potatoes in Vermont. Many store their crop into early winter, so it should be easy to buy local spuds.

Squash was an essential part of the Native American diet along with beans and corn. Butternut squash is a Thanksgiving staple, but there are other winter squashes to consider, such as acorn which has moist flesh with a nutty flavor and buttercup, which is very sweet. Delicata is milder and less sweet with a thin skin that does not need to be removed before cooking. Sunshine squash is stringless.

Winter squashes are similar to sweet potatoes in nutritional value though a bit lower in calories and sugar content. Winter squash is widely grown on Vermont vegetable farms and featured in colorful displays with different varieties at farm stands and retail stores across the state.

said. “The Vermont law enforcement family is asking motorists to drive responsibly. Remember that driving responsibly includes wearing your seatbelt, not using your cellphone while driving unless it is hands-free and not driving after consuming alcohol or any other drugs.”

Added Paul White, law enforcement liaison with the Vermont State Highway Safety Office: “Thanksgiving is a time for celebrating gratitude with loved ones and we want to make sure our community members arrive at their Thanksgiving destinations as safely as possible. Whether you’re driving 10 minutes to the Thanksgiving dinner table, or 10 hours, it’s critical that drivers and passengers buckle up — every trip — every time.”

The cranberry species we commonly eat is native to the eastern United States and Canada. The U.S. leads the world in cranberry production at over 800 million pounds annually, mostly from Wisconsin and Massachusetts. Cranberries are high in vitamin C, manganese, fiber and antioxidants. Only three farms are reported to grow cranberries in Vermont, but there are plenty available from our neighboring state to the south.

Hard apple cider was widely consumer before the mid-1800s, when fermented drinks helped avoid risks of drinking contaminated “tap” water. Later, unfermented, sweet cider became more common.

Introduced to North America from Europe, apple trees grow well in our climate. Over 300 farms grow apples in Vermont, and orchards press cider from their own crop. Each farm’s cider has a unique flavor.

So this Thanksgiving, have a delicious meal while celebrating family, friends — and local farms.

Dr. Vern Grubinger, who is based in the University of Vermont Extension office in Brattleboro, is its vegetable and berry specialist.

We

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White pines, red cedars thrive in Vermont’s abandoned pastures

Connect the Dots Jane

Dorney

“Look there,” the retired sheep farmer said as he slowed down and pointed to a ledgy, overgrown hillside. “That’s what I was talking about, see the white pines and junipers?” We were driving along a back road as he was telling me the story of his dairy farming neighbor’s struggles, and how I could read some of the chapters of that story in the plants.

In years past, he told me, the scrubby hillside had once been an open pasture where the dairy farmer had run all his cows and heifers. The animals had kept the grass and other greenery well grazed, except for the prickly-leaved plants they avoided, like white pine tree saplings and juniper shrubs. What the cows didn’t eat, the farmer clipped out so they wouldn’t shade out any of the

valuable grass.

But the dairy industry’s latest market pressures were pushing his neighbor to either size up or shut down his milking operation, and he finally decided to sell his cows. The pasture was empty. A second neighbor down the road asked the farmer if he could lease the empty pasture for his heifers. The pasture was too far away from the other neighbor’s barn to walk the milking cows back and forth twice a day for milking, but the heifers that were too young to be milked could graze there without much trouble. The second neighbor would then be able to increase the number of milking cows on his own pasture once his heifers were moved.

The first neighbor agreed, and the heifers were brought down the road and happily grazed in the pasture that summer. Over the following years, the heifers continued to grace, though there

were fewer of them than before. With no more pressure to maximize the grazing area, the regular clipping of the prickly-needled saplings ended.

Now that the pasture was undergrazed, the prickly tree and shrub seedlings had established themselves. Eventually, the second neighbor decided to shut down, too, and the pasture no longer had any grazing farm animals. But the white pine trees the heifers hadn’t eaten had a head start on the other plants that started coming in as the pasture transitioned toward forest.

After the sheep farmer clued me into this landscape history story, I started to look for this pattern in my other research projects. Where I could, I watched for pastures that were still being used, those being undergrazed, and those recently abandoned, and looked at the kinds of trees that were first coming in and their relative ages. At sites further along in their forest regrowth, I looked at

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Jane Dorney

PHOTO BY JANE DORNEY

Juniper shrubs are very prickly, so cows avoid eating them, and they survive in pastures if not clipped out.

See CONNECT THE DOTS on page 15

aerial photos I could find from decades past to reconstruct the stages of their landscape histories.

I noticed that not all abandoned pastures went through an undergrazing stage, but those that did showed this pattern repeatedly: in the undergrazed pasture situations, the prickly white pines, especially, stood out above the goldenrod and other early meadow plants. The head start the white pines had over the poplars, birches and other early species that came in after grazing stopped is visible even many decades later. In the areas of the Champlain Valley with limy soils, red cedar trees were the ones getting the head start. The large white pines and the red cedar trees then became good clues for me to watch for.

With this new focus, I also noticed that other farmland uses, such as old corn fields and hayfields, often had different reforesting patterns than the old pastures. When I tuned into the subtler differences, I found I could also use those forest patterns as clues to reconstruct a more detailed history of the past land use on research sites.

With 80 percent of the Vermont landscape having been cleared of forest the late 1800s, and a significant percentage of that open land in pasture, there are lots of places where the pasture abandonment stories have played out. In Vermont, we are currently losing pastureland at a higher rate than other land uses. As dairy farming is transitioning to feeding cows

inside year-round now rather than pasturing them, the next chapter in pasture abandonment is being written.

During stick season, I find myself looking for the green foliage of the white pine trees and red cedars standing out against the mostly brown forests — looking for other signs of abandoned pasturing. When I find them, I also think about the generations of dairy farmers’ decisions about their land that can be read in patterns decades later.

Jane Dorney is a consulting geographer who does research and education projects to help people understand why the Vermont landscape looks like it does. See more at janedorney.com.

PHOTO BY JANE DORNEY

This red cedar tree got a head start in an undergrazed pasture that was later abandoned.

CONNECT THE DOTS continued from page 14

A forest-lover’s reading list for holidays

Into the

Ethan Tapper

I am often asked what books I would recommend to folks interested in learning more about forests and forestry. For my column this month I will recommend a few of my favorite resources for forest-lovers, each addressing a key theme of forests and forest stewardship.

• “The Hidden Forest: Biography of an Ecosystem” by Jon R. Luoma: For anyone interested in developing a better understanding of how forests work, this book is always my first recommendation. In it, Luoma follows a multi-disciplinary group of researchers at the Andrews Experimental Forest in Oregon as they collaborate to build a more complete vision

of the pieces, parts and processes that make forest ecosystems function. The genius of this book is both its easy-to-read, conversational tone, and its clear, accurate, nuanced description of forest ecology.

I have found that an understanding of healthy forests is not something that any of us are born with, but something that we can develop. Forests are at times unintuitive, messy and complicated. The first step toward earning how to care for and manage forests is learning what makes them tick, and this is a great resource for doing just that.

• “Reading the Forested Landscape” by Tom Wessells: Understanding the legacies on New England’s historic landscape is a key ingredient in understanding how our modern-day forests came

to be. In this book Wessels, an ecologist from southern Vermont, discusses how to read the history of our forests using clues like stone walls.

Since the early 1800s, nearly all of Vermont’s forests have been cleared, many of them maintained as pastures for a century or more. While your backyard woods may seem ancient, it is likely that it was a pasture within the last 60 to 100 years, placing it at the very beginning of the process of forest development. This is true for the young forests across our landscape which lack many of the traits of the ancient forests that once defined the region.

• “A Sand County Almanac” by Aldo

Leopold.

Published in 1949, this work is a foundational text in the conservation world. Through a series

of essays, Leopold — a forester and conservationist — discusses the nuances of his relationship with the land. Perhaps the most salient contribution of this book, and Leopold’s work in general, is the idea of the land ethic — the concept that we have a moral or ethical responsibility toward the land and its forests, wetlands, wildlife and waters.

Whether we have the privilege of owning our own forest or not, each of us also affects forests locally and globally through our choices and the resources that we consume. As Leopold details in this poignant book, each of us has the opportunity and the responsibility to define our own land ethic.

• “Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses” by Robin Wall Kimmerer: In “Gathering Moss,” Kimmer-

er, a bryologist (a scientist who studies mosses and other bryophytes), highlights her own land ethic while guiding the reader on an exploration into the enigmatic world of mosses. Kimmerer, the author of the acclaimed “Braiding Sweetgrass,” demonstrates how even the tiniest parts of the forest are rich with life and worthy of our care and attention.

While we often focus on trees, research increasingly shows that the other components of forests — mosses, lichens, plants, animals, insects, fungi — are critical to their health and function.

Ethan Tapper is the Chittenden County forester for the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation. Sign up for his eNews and read articles he’s written at linktr.ee/chittendencountyforester.

PHOTO BY ETHAN TAPPER

Asiatic bittersweet may look festive, but it’s very invasive

The Outside Story

Olivia Box

My daily walk around my city this fall has been dominated by one plant. It is abundant and leafy with red berries and orange or yellow foliage. It seems to fit in perfectly with a New England autumn in its color and exuberance. Despite its festive appearance, however, this plant more commonly known as Asiatic bittersweet is an exotic invasive that has wrought havoc in both urban and forested environments.

Asiatic bittersweet is native to China, Japan and Korea and arrived in the United States in the 19th century as an ornamental plant. It has spread widely, and its sale and distribution are now banned in many states, including New Hampshire and Vermont. Asiatic bittersweet thrives in many different environments: forests, forest edges, urban streets, gardens, and beaches. This woody vine, which may reach 60 feet in length and 10 inches in diameter, can devastate native flora by growing over plants to block sunlight and twining around the stems and trunks of vegetation to essentially strangle growth.

“Its rate of spread is a bit like a Jack-and-the-Beanstalk fairy tale,” said Rebecca Finneran from Michigan State University Extension. “It has been observed covering half-acre wood lots in just seven to 10 years.”

Found from Maine to Wisconsin, Asiatic bittersweet has glossy, round leaves measuring two to four inches long. Small, yellowgreen flowers emerge in spring, leading to yellow-skinned fruit, which splits in the autumn to reveal a scarlet aril — a fleshy covering resembling a berry — containing yellow seeds. These red arils last tenaciously into winter and attract birds who eat them and humans who clip bittersweet vines to use in decorations, aiding in the spread of this invasive.

Its adaptability and reproducibility make Asiatic bittersweet the perfect storm of an invasive species. Its seeds can disperse over long distances, often aided by the birds and other wildlife that eat them and deposit them elsewhere. The seeds continue to be viable when dry and since this invasive is commonly used for seasonal decor, discarded wreaths

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and other adornments often lead to new germination. For this reason, wildlife experts encourage people to avoid decorating with Asiatic bittersweet.

The species also spreads through its fast-growing roots — dozens of stems may grow from a mature root system.

Bittersweet is notoriously difficult to eliminate once established. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service recommends considering the extent of an infestation and possibly combining mechanical and chemical treatments for best results.

Experts consider cutting the vine down and applying an herbicide to the remaining stems to be one of the most effective combination methods. Cutting may be done at any time of year. Another method is to cut the stems and treat new sprouts with an herbicide. Pulling roots by hand is another tactic for tackling bittersweet. However, the plant roots deeply into the soil, and even tiny root fragments left in the soil can resprout. Plants, including roots, runners and vines pulled from the ground should be disposed of

ILLUSTRATION BY ADELAIDE MURPHY TYROL

in plastic bags. For help addressing specific invasive infestations, contact your local extension office.

One victim of Asiatic bittersweet’s spread is American bittersweet, a native look-alike that is being displaced by its invasive counterpart. The fruit and flowers of American bittersweet grow in terminal clusters, while Asiatic bittersweets fruits grow along the stem in the axils of leaves. While American bittersweet also grows easily and vigorously, this vine does not grow as large as the invasive species and will not push out other plants.

The native and invasive species can hybridize, causing concern among conservation biologists that hybridization may lead to further decline of American bittersweet. The native plant was once common throughout the Northeast, but is now listed as uncommon, rare or endangered in most areas of the region.

Olivia Box is an ecologist and writer based in Maine. Illustration by Adelaide Murphy Tyrol. The Outside Story is assigned and edited by Northern Woodlands magazine and sponsored by the Wellborn Ecology Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, nhcf.org.

97 Falls Road • Shelburne, VT

Bittersweet is notoriously difficult to eliminate once established.

Alpine plant believed extinct in Vermont rediscovered

A diminutive alpine shrub last documented in Vermont in 1908 has been rediscovered on Mt. Mansfield.

“This is an extraordinary find,” said Bob Popp, a botanist with the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. “The purple crowberry is easily overlooked alongside the closely related and more abundant black crowberry. This discovery emphasizes the benefit of having a community of keen botanical observers on the ground.”

The purple crowberry grows low to the ground in rocky habitat above the tree line. The species is identifiable by needle-like leaves and purple berries, and is found in the Northeast in Maine, New Hampshire and New York. The purple crowberry is listed as uncommon in New Hampshire and state endangered in New York.

Vermont botanists had searched Mt. Mansfield — the site of the 1908 historical record —for the purple crowberry unsuccessfully in recent decades and had determined that the species was no longer present in the state.

A fresh set of eyes on an overlooked stretch of Mt. Mansfield upended that conclusion.

“I’m always looking for new purple crowberry populations,” said Liam Ebner, a recent graduate from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a trained summit steward with the Adirondack Mountain Club.

At the time of his discovery, Ebner was on Mt. Mansfield as participant in the 2022 Northeastern Alpine Stewardship Gathering, a biennial conference hosted this year by the Green Mountain Club and The Waterman Fund.

“Since I saw a crowberry plant, I decided to check it out

and was pretty surprised to see that it was purple crowberry up there,” Ebner said.

Ebner reported his find to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department the following day. He added that as an alpine stewardship professional he was able to approach the plant — which was off the trail — while staying on exposed rock, preventing damage to the crowberry or the plant’s surroundings.

Popp revisited the site on Oct. 19 and confirmed three clumps of purple crowberry.

“That observant members of the public rediscovered two different plant species believed lost from our state in the same year is a tribute to our community’s flourishing interest in and knowledge of the natural world,” said Popp, who worked with community scientists earlier this

year to confirm the rediscovery of the small whorled pogonia, a federally threatened orchid, in Vermont.

“At the same time, we do not encourage anyone to venture off trail in search of rare alpine plants,” Popp added. “The work of the Green Mountain Club as stewards of our delicate alpine areas is part of what has allowed the purple crowberry to persist in this highly trafficked area for more than a century.”

The newly discovered purple crowberry population is located safely off the trail and at low risk of trampling. The department is not disclosing the purple crowberry’s exact location to protect the plants from accidental damage.

“The discovery of a purple crowberry population after so many years really underscores the importance and effectiveness of

the Green Mountain Club’s backcountry caretaker program,” said Nigel Bates, caretaker program supervisor.

The club, which manages 500 miles of hiking trail in Vermont, including the alpine zones in the state, employs caretakers trained in stewardship and alpine botany to educate hikers and encourage responsible use during the hiking season.

In the short term, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department and the Green Mountain Club will monitor Mt. Mansfield’s purple crowberry population for signs of predation or encroachment by other plants. In the longer term, the department will consider the purple crowberry for designation on the state’s threatened and endangered species list as more is learned about the species’ viability in Vermont.

PHOTO BY GLEN MITTELHAUSER

The purple crowberry grows low to the ground in exposed, high elevation habitats. The purple crowberry is easily mistaken for the common and closely related black crowberry.

“At the same time, we do not encourage anyone to venture off trail in search of rare alpine plants.”

— Bob Popp

Coaches announce soccer all-stars

The Vermont Soccer Coaches Association has announced its All-State honors to the following players:

2022 Vermont Soccer Coaches Association

All-State boys

Division I

Eli Marden, CVU, midfield

Diego Robinson, CVU, back

Zach Spitznagle, CVU, forward

Ali Hammond, South Burlington, midfield

Andrew Chandler, South Burlington, goalkeeper

Oliver Clifford, South Burlington, back

Nathaniel Hasenecz, South Burlington, midfield

Evan Richardson, South Burlington, midfield

Division II

Cade Bretton, Rice Memorial, midfield

Jackson Strong, Rice Memorial, back

Division III

Sawyer Beck, Peoples Academy, forward

Chandler Follensbee, Peoples Academy, goalkeeper

Rowan McClain, Peoples Academy, forward

Nathan Nolan, Peoples Academy, midfield

Tomforde Guffey, Stowe, back

Carson Matckie, Stowe, back

Ben Nissenbaum, Stowe, midfield

Woody Reichelt, Stowe, midfield

Henry Riley, Stowe, midfield

All-State girls

Division I

Rachel Kelley, South Burlington, midfield

Oakley Machanic, South Burlington, midfield

Ava Barron, CVU, midfield

Stella Dooley, CVU, back

Anna Morton, CVU, midfield

Chloe Pecor, CVU, forward

Division II

Sunshine Clark, Rice Memorial, goalkeeper

Raven Mccray-Fay, Rice Memorial, back

Claire Vincent, Rice Memorial, back

Division III

Hannah Cleary, Peoples Academy, midfield

Josie Simone, Peoples Academy, goalkeeper

Orly Bryan, Stowe, forward

Sarah Hailey, Stowe, forward

Ellie Zimmerman, Stowe, back

Additionally, the association has selected the following coaches to be recognized as Coach of the Year for 2022:

• Girls, small schools (DII and DIV): Kim Prestridge, White River Valley

• Girls, large schools (DI and DII): Pete Albright, Mt. Mansfield Union

• Boys, small schools: Shane Bufano, Stowe

• Boys, large schools: Adolphe Lumumba, South Burlington

By a vote of the coaches, Victor Vieriu was selected as the Official of the Year.

PHOTO BY AL FREY South Burlington’s Nathaniel Hasenecz was named to the Division I All-State boys team. Here he tangles with Diego Robinson from CVU in a game this fall.

DOG PARK

continued from page 1

the only place where our dogs can run without a leash, so it’s just wonderful to see that.”

But with the new park’s opening, questions remain surrounding the city’s other dog park, Farrell Park, which South Burlington resident Dan Albrecht describes as the “poor stepchild” — as well as city dog regulations throughout the city.

Since at least 2020, according to records of meetings for the committee on common areas for dogs (formerly known as the Dog Park Committee), discussions about improvements have been ongoing. But real improvements have continually been “pushed to the back burner,” Albrecht said.

“There’s a lot of apartment buildings in this area, and it’s also the transit overlay district where the council and planning commission wanted to put all the housing,” Albrecht said. “It’s disappointing, it just seems to fall through the cracks.”

With proximity to a Class II wetland, the Farrell Park is locked in, making expanding it a challenge. But the major dilemma for the park is water pooling and accumulation, which turns the park into a mud pit in the warmer months and an ice rink in the winter, Cota said.

“Band-aid” improvements

have been made — a gate-latching issue was corrected, and more sand has been added to try and alleviate water accumulation issues. “But I don’t want to pretend it’s all fixed,” Cota said.

“Farrell Park should not be neglected,” he said. “It is an important park for all the families and the dogs that live in that area and there have been small improvements, but more needs to be done and I think the committee knows that and I certainly recognize that as well.”

Presence in the community

Betty Milizia has been a South Burlington resident for 28 years and was with the committee for on common areas for dogs since 2017 before becoming chair in 2021. In many ways, her work is just beginning.

While Wheeler Park is open and has been visited by dozens of people already, there’s been no grand opening, no celebration. Technically, it’s not finished, she says — some signage still needs to be put in.

But, nonetheless, “people are hearing about it,” she said. “People from St. George, from Essex Center, the north end of Burlington, Shelburne, Charlotte, and everywhere in between, are being drawn to this site because

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS to the SOUTH BURLINGTON IMPACT FEE ORDINANCE Public Hearing

Monday, December 5, 2022 at 8:30 p.m.

Please take notice that on Monday, December 5, 2022 at 8:30 p.m., the City Council will hold a public hearing and second reading, on a possible amendment to the City’s Impact Fee Ordinance. The hearing will be held in person and remotely via GoToMeeting. Participation options:

• In Person: City Hall Auditorium, 180 Market Street

• Interactive Online: https://meet.goto.com/ SouthBurlingtonVT/city-council-12-05-2022

• Telephone: (872) 240-3212; Access Code: 680-872-653

Following the public hearing and second reading, the City Council may take action on final passage of the amendment. The proposed amendment would modify the required timeline for payment of Impact Fees for qualifying affordable housing projects such that fees are due prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy.

Copies of the proposed amendments are available for inspection at the Department of Planning & Zoning, City Hall, 3rd Floor, 180 Market Street, and on the city website at www.sbvt.gov.

Helen Riehle, City Council Chair November 23, 2022

it’s an idyllic site. It’s really a site that we can celebrate.”

It’s the end of an arduous journey that began when Jaycee Park closed in 2017 — the impetus behind the establishment of Wheeler Park.

Since then, the committee’s vision has expanded a bit and has made it a point to “look at all aspects of dogs’ public life, in the community — basically, their presence in the community,” she said.

“We need to make sure all our public spaces have some level of accommodation for dogs,” Milizia said.

To that end, the committee and the city have been in contact with a consultant to work on how to improve the surface area of Farrell Park and improve drainage. They’re also planning on replacing fencing and relocating the gate so that there’s a gate for both the mall and large areas, Milliza said.

But no timeline has been established, said Holly Rees, the city’s director of parks and recreation. The city is continuing to work with consultants and the state’s wetland assessors to figure out site plans for how to move water off the site, she said. Funding for

the project will likely come from municipal dog licensing fees.

The committee is also beginning to have conversations about changing zoning regulations “to direct and guide developers in the city when new things are happening, on how to take into consideration the needs of dogs — whether it’s their recreational needs or their sanitation,” Milizia said.

“That type of thing that’s currently not in our zoning regulations, but perhaps it should be,” Cota said. “Those are some of the things that are actively being explored by the committee for common areas for dogs.”

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS to the SOUTH BURLINGTON

ORDINANCE REGULATING THE USE OF PUBLIC & PRIVATE SANITARY SEWERAGE AND STORMWATER SYSTEMS

Public Hearing Monday, December 5, 2022 at 8:30 p.m.

Please take notice that on Monday, December 5, 2022 at 8:30 p.m., the City Council will hold a public hearing and second reading, on a possible amendment to the City’s Ordinance Regulating the Use of Public & Private Sanitary Sewerage and Stormwater Systems. The hearing will be held in person and remotely via GoToMeeting. Participation options:

• In Person: City Hall Auditorium, 180 Market Street

• Interactive Online: https://meet.goto.com/SouthBurlingtonVT/city-council-12-05-2022

• Telephone: (872) 240-3212; Access Code: 680-872-653

Following the public hearing and second reading, the City Council may take action on final passage of the amendment. The proposed amendment would modify the required timeline for payment of Final Allocation Connection Fees for qualifying affordable housing projects such that fees are due prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy.

Copies of the proposed amendments are available for inspection at the Department of Planning & Zoning, City Hall, 3rd Floor, 180 Market Street, and on the city website at www.sbvt.gov.

Helen Riehle, City Council Chair November 23, 202

PHOTO BY COREY MCDONALD

A muddy Farrell Park on Saturday.

ARIES

March 21 - April 20

You have an energy to release this week, Aries. But you are not sure if the world is ready for you. Don’t expect the same reaction from everyone when you interact.

TAURUS

April 21 - May 21

Something in your life that seems ordinary on the surface can turn into something that is rather special. Taurus. Keep your eyes peeled for every possibility.

GEMINI

May 22 - June 21

Gemini, all of the fanfare you are about to receive can make it seem like you are the most popular person on the planet. Revel in the attention while you have it.

CANCER

June 22 - July 22

Sometimes the less traveled path can take you to some pretty special places, Cancer. Don’t be so quick to rule out opportunities that are right in front of you.

LEO

July 23 - Aug. 23

Start evaluating personal habits that may be holding you back, Leo. Upon closer examination, you may discover that there are some things you can easily change for the better.

VIRGO

Aug. 24 - Sept. 22

Virgo, much to your relief, your hard work could start paying off very soon. It has been a long time coming, so enjoy any rewards that come from your efforts.

LIBRA

Sept. 23 - Oct. 23

Consider a partnership that falls into your lap, Libra. It may provide you with some new social and business connections. There’s a lot of opportunity coming down the pike.

SCORPIO

Oct. 24 - Nov. 22

Scorpio, it is alright to desire some quiet, but too much excitement is surrounding you lately for things to settle down just yet. Ride this wave a little longer.

SUDOKU

Here’s How It Works:

Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must ll each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can gure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 23 - Dec. 21

A week full of possibilities and positivity lies ahead for you, Sagittarius. The only question is, “what are you going to do with it?” Bring a friend for the ride.

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22 - Jan. 20

Capricorn, no matter how much work you have on your plate, rest assured that you have all of the resources available to get things done successfully.

AQUARIUS

Jan. 21 - Feb. 18

The stars are interested in showering you with plenty of love right now, Aquarius. This could be one of the most enjoyable weeks you’ve had in quite a while.

PISCES

Feb. 19 - March 20

Romance could bloom this week if you are interested, Pisces. You also may be able to solidify an existing relationship.

CLUES ACROSS

1. India’s “City of Lakes”

7. Large marine mammals

13. Used to carry belongings when traveling

14. Rechristens

16. Equally

17. Heavy plant-eating mammals

19. Millihenry

20. Japanese immigrant to N. America

22. Deep, red-brown sea bream

23. Norse gods

25. Peppermint and pekoe are two

26. Auguste __, founder of positivism

28. Self-immolation by re ritual

29. High-resolution microscope (abbr.)

30. Wide metal vessel used in cooking

31. V-shaped open trough

33. People of southern Benin

34. People of southern Ghana

36. It’s a signi cant creed

38. Period between eclipses

40. Furies

41. Emerged

43. Philippine Island

44. Where wrestlers battle

45. Unhappy

47. Central European river

48. Language

51. Semitransparent gemstone

53. Forming in a bottom layer

55. Distinct region

56. Broad blades

58. Leavened bread

59. In uential cosmetics exec

60. Exclamation of surprise

61. Era free of war

64. One who helps professors

65. Idealistic

67. Ornamental plants

69. Grouped

70. Kids love this street

CLUES DOWN

1. Beloved hound

2. Equal to 100 grams

3. S-shaped moldings

4. Hawaiian cliff

5. Everyone has one

6. Subatomic particle

7. Ghost

8. Adult female bird

9. Greek temple pillars

10. Emits coherent radiation

11. Measures the width of printed matter

12. Musical interval

13. Tantalizes

ANSWERS

15. Places of worship

18. An unskilled actor who overacts

21. One who volunteers to help

24. Precaution

26. Beverage holder

27. Very long period of time

30. Bull ghting maneuvers

32. More critical

35. Sends packing in a boxing match

37. Taxi

38. Decorative Russian tea

urn

39. North American Great Plains natives

42. Seize

43. A passage with access only at one end

46. Cut a rug

47. Devil rays

49. Bubble up

Veranda 52. Outcast

Car mechanics group

Realm

A place to get off your feet 59. Popular music awards show

Consumed

A way to make cooler

Thus

Indicates it’s been registered

RABIES BAIT

continued from page 2

The week-long bait drop is a cooperative effort between Vermont and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services to stop the spread of the potentially fatal disease.

Rabies is a deadly viral disease of the brain that infects mammals. It is most often seen in raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats, but unvaccinated pets and livestock can also get rabies.The virus is spread through the bite of an infected animal or contact with its

saliva. If left untreated, rabies is almost al ways fatal in humans and animals. However, treatment with the rabies vaccine is nearly 100 percent effective when given soon after a person is bitten by a rabid animal.

So far this year, 23 animals in Vermont have tested positive for rabies, and 14 of those have been raccoons.

According to wildlife officials, rabid animals often show a change in their normal behavior, but you cannot tell whether an animal has rabies simply by looking at it. People should not touch or pick up wild animals or strays – even baby animals.

SHELBURNE DAY

continued from page 4

Shelburne Historical Society will have a display and president Dorothea Penar will lead a cemetery tour at 1 p.m. Food vendors round out the event with everything from coffee and lemonade to burgers and creemees. Kids will enjoy meeting animals from Shelburne Farms, craft projects, and

face

burne-Hinesburg head the Golf depending land. Rotary’s

Piano and Composition Lessons

Piano Lessons

Give the gift of music-making

Remote and In-Person Lessons

Edward Darling

South Burlington

802-318-7030

Basic, intermediate - children, teens, adults National Keyboard Arts Curriculum References, scholarships available Edward Darling, So. Burlington edwardjohndarling@gmail.com • 802-318-7030

im superintendent was part of the school board’s contingency plan, which determined a line of succession leading to the director of learning in the event that no interim candidate was found.

The board began another process to find a permanent superintendent in September that focused on community listening sessions, but found its top choice — Nichols — was already in place.

“We convened as a board and felt like jumping into the permanent search process at the time would take about $50,000,” said board member Kate Bailey. “We felt like we needed to take a moment’s breath to hear from the community and through those listening sessions we not only got positive feedback about our interim superintendent but also about all of the work that needs to be done in our district that led us to the decision that appointing Violet is our best choice for our district.”

Members of the board expressed excitement for the move.

“I just want to say how excited I am for this appointment,” said Bailey. “We’ve had the chance to work together over the last

three months in your role as interim and I’ve been very impressed with how you hit the ground running as we ran into some real crises that you’ve handled with grace and professionalism.”

Board member Chelsea Tillinghast said that she’s received more emails about recommending Nichols from the community than anything else.

“I truly believe there is no one more suited or qualified for this job,” Tillinghast added.

Board chair Travia Childs said that she feels that the district’s team is finally crystallizing since Nichols has been appointed.

One member of the interim superintendent search committee voiced concerns over Nichols’ appointment, asserting that “this executive decision is unacceptable,” the unidentified member of the committee said. “There was a process that

Community Bankers Chittenden County

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Job Responsibilities & Requirements

This frontline position is crucial in creating a positive, welcoming and inclusive experience for NSB customers. The successful candidate will have exceptional customer service and communication skills. The Community Banker will be responsible for receiving and processing customers’ financial transactions as well as opening and maintaining customer accounts and services. We are looking for someone who can develop and maintain relationships with our valued customers, protect bank and customer information, and uphold customer confidentiality. A high school diploma, general education degree (GED), or equivalent is required. If you have customer service, previous cash handling, or banking experience we encourage you to apply!

Opportunity for Growth

NSB has training opportunities to engage employees and assist with professional development within our company. The average years of service for an NSB employee is 9! If you’re looking for a career in an environment that promotes growth, join our team!

What NSB Can Offer You

Competitive compensation based on experience. Well-rounded benefits package. Profit-Sharing opportunity. Excellent 401(k) matching retirement program. Commitment to professional development. Opportunities to volunteer and support our communities. Work-Life balance!

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was presented about what was going to be happening and nobody said they were going to be removing that process, I don’t think it’s OK for you five people to decide you are done with that process without input or conversation about it. ”

“We are hiring Violet because she is the best person for this job,” responded Tillinghast.

The committee member also expressed concerns over a lack of transparency, saying that members of the search committee were told by former board member Boyer, who spearheaded the interim search committee, that they would be a part of the process for hiring the permanent superintendent.

The board said it did not interview any other candidates other than Nichols for the

Why not have a job you love?

Positions include a sign on bonus, strong benefits package and the opportunity to work at one of the “Best Places to Work in Vermont”.

permanent position

“I looked at Miss Nichols qualifications and compared that with the qualifications we are looking for and it was a very good match”, said board member Alex Mchaney. “I have to use some of my own judgment on the chances of being able to go through a very long process and find someone who would be better qualified.”

Nichols holds two master’s degrees, one in educational leadership from the Upper Valley Graduate School for Education and the other in education from Antioch University.

In addition to experience in school administration, Nichols has worked nationally as a public elementary school teacher, a science-technology-engineering-math (STEM) educator, mathematics instructional coach as well as curriculum and technology director.

She also plans to begin pursuing her doctoral degree in educational policy at the University of Vermont next fall.

Service Coordinator: Continue your career in human services in a supportive environment by providing case management for individuals either for our Adult Family Care program or our Developmental Services program. The ideal candidate will have strong clinical, organizational & leadership skills and enjoy working in a team-oriented position. $47,000 annual salary, $1,500 sign on bonus.

Residential Program Manager: Coordinate staffed residential and community supports for an individual in their home. The ideal candidate will enjoy working in a team-oriented position, have strong clinical skills, and demonstrated leadership. $45,900 annual salary, $1,500 sign on bonus.

Direct Support Professional: Provide 1:1 supports to help individuals reach their goals in a variety of settings. This is a great position to start or continue your career in human services. Full and part time positions available starting at $19/hr, $1,000 sign on bonus.

Residential Direct Support Professional: Provide supports to an individual in their home and in the community in 24h shifts including asleep overnights in a private, furnished bedroom. You can work two days, receive full benefits and have five days off each week! Other flexible schedules available, starting wage is $20/hr, $1,000 sign on bonus.

Shared Living Provider: Move into someone’s home or have someone live with you to provide residential supports. There are a variety of opportunities available that could be the perfect match for you and your household. Salary varies dependent on individual care requirements. $1,000 sign on bonus.

Join our dedicated team and together we’ll build a community where everyone participates and belongs

https://ccs-vt.org/current-openings/

Make a career making a difference and join our team today!

https://ccs-vt.org/current-openings/

Violet Nichols

Vermont is facing a public health crisis.

FACT:

Over 50% of people receiving developmental services require direct supports in their homes, communities, or places of employment.

FACT:

Care should be person-centered.

FACT:

Long-term supports provide an inclusive experience for people with disabilities.

O er clinical support to individuals with mental health challenges in residential and community settings.

OUR MISSION: We help people and communities thrive by providing supports and services to address mental health, substance use, and developmental needs.

Minimum hourly rate is $20/hour.